Plugboard, template, and custom composite column recipes

[eschwartz]

Any interesting information would be outputted directly to the terminal. But as-is, the only logging would be exceptions.

You can try adding some simple print statements for what you expect to happen at each stage, and see if anything wonky gets printed.

[Joy Phillip]

Okay, I'm lost here.

Trying to find the current template recipe to put into the "Custom Column" creation interface that will show a Yes/No check for if the book has a cover or not. I've lost a bunch of covers, and I would hate to have to go through one at a time to find if there's a cover or not. I realize that the UI will show it if I just go to the thumbnails view, but I'd really like to sort on the "covers" column to just get all the ones that DON"T have a cover in one group.

I've been looking for over an hour here, and going through all the "cover" and "column" custom searches in this forum, and there's too many returns.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Joy Phillip

Okay, I'm lost here.

Trying to find the current template recipe to put into the "Custom Column" creation interface that will show a Yes/No check for if the book has a cover or not. I've lost a bunch of covers, and I would hate to have to go through one at a time to find if there's a cover or not. I realize that the UI will show it if I just go to the thumbnails view, but I'd really like to sort on the "covers" column to just get all the ones that DON"T have a cover in one group.

I've been looking for over an hour here, and going through all the "cover" and "column" custom searches in this forum, and there's too many returns.

@Joy Phillip - try this, add a custom column like this



Search for cover:False. Select all the books(Ctrl+A), then in Bulk Metadata edit change Has Cover to No.

BR

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@Joy Phillip - try this, add a custom column like this

Attachment 141528

Search for cover:False. Select all the books(Ctrl+A), then in Bulk Metadata edit change Has Cover to No.

BR

Addition - you could automate via a column color/icon rule that uses the has_cover template function see The calibre template language

BR

[Joy Phillip]

Well, the cover:False was what I needed, so thank you.

[SMNonMR]

Hello! I would love some help with an issue I'm trying to solve. In the past, I was reading books on my kindle3 and used this metadata template for the title:

{title}{series_index:0>2s| -|- }

It was simple and worked perfectly for my needs.

Now I'm reading a lot of fanfiction (don't laugh! it's relaxing) and developed a new template that I like.

{title} ({#chapters}ch, {#words}w) {#status} {#updated:format_date(M-d-yy)}

As you can see the new template has completely different info. Is there a way for me to combine the two? I've been manually changing the template in the plugboard (like a heathen) based on the content I'm uploading. Surely there must be some kind of if-then statement I can use.

Basically what I would like is that if the series is called "Fanfiction" to use the second template and if it's not to use the first one. Is that possible? I don't know any programming languages so please walk me through it if it's very complicated. I only got this far in my templating by using what I learned from all of you in this thread. Thank you!

[eschwartz]

Try this. It uses the General Program Mode, which is a bit more flexible:

program:

# Candidate template for non-fanfiction books
reg_title = strcat(
	field('title'),
	finish_formatting(
		field('series_index'),
		'0>2s',
		' -',
		'- '
	)
);

# Candidate template for fanfiction books
fanfic_title = strcat(
	field('title'),
	' (',
	field('#chapters'),
	'ch, ',
	field('#words'),
	') ',
	field('#status'),
	' ',
	format_date(
		field('#updated'),
		'M-d-yy'
	)
);

final_title = strcmp(
	field('series'),
	'Fanfiction',
	reg_title,
	fanfic_title,
	reg_title
);

Basically, calculate the two templates, and check the value of series to see if it matches (case-insensitive) "fanfction". Then return whichever template is appropriate.
The last function is the return function, so final_title is the return value of the template.


This looks a little bigger than it really is because I prefer whitespace for readability.

[SMNonMR]

It worked!! It worked!!!! That's the first time something ever worked for me on the first try. Thank you so much!

Also, the whitespace made it less intimidating. I was actually able to follow how it worked more or less. So I guess I learned something new today! Yes! Thanks again!

[eschwartz]

You're welcome.

Mission accomplished on both counts
(I like knowing I have helped someone see the beauty of GPM and how to use it. Half the fun is teaching the other person to recreate the results. Feel free to ask any questions you like.)

[brainvision]

hi guys and girls..

I need help, please!
I would like to know how to reach my ideal configuration when sending files to my Android device..
This is the standard template I use for my Android device

{series}{publisher:| - (|)}/{series_index:0>3s|[|] - }{title}{authors:| - |}

but while this is perfect when the books has series, it became ugly when they don't!

I tried different way to reach my goal, but unfortunately I had not a complete success. That's why I'm asking you.
What I want to reach is:

Series - (Publisher)/[series_index] - Title - Author

if the book is in a series; but

Title - Author

if it is not

Last thing I did was to create two custom columns

{series} - {publisher}/{series_index} - {title} - {authors}

{title} - {author}

and then into the device configuration I put

{series:lookup(.,#BB,#AA)}

but it doesn't work for the series one.. it send books just as the ones without series!
can you help please?

[eschwartz]

Single template that does it all for you.

program:

prefix_if_series = strcat(
	field('series'),
	' - (',
	field('publisher'),
	')/[',
	field('series_index'),
	'] - '

);

final = strcat(
	test(
		field('series'),
		prefix_if_series,
		''
	),
	field('title'),
	' - ',
	field('authors')
);

Explanation: You want "title - authors", and IF there is a series, you want the series and publisher info in front.

So, first we calculate what all that extra information in front should be.
In the form:

series - (publisher)/[series #] -

Then, test to see if series has content.
If so, prepend the calculated extra information.
If not, prepend an empty string, i.e. nothing.

Finally, add the:

title - authors

[brainvision]

hi @eschwartz

thanks a lot for your precious help and your detailed explanation.. but it seems I lost a few steps.. I never wroted a program like that and I never used it, so I don't know where it should be placed!!
I tried to create a custom column and then used {#custom_column} in device configuration send to option; I also tried to create a template function from Calibre options (the very last button on the Options GUI, sorry don't know in English how it is called); I also tried to paste this code directly into Send to device field option.. nothing, all I have is a file called something like

prefix_if_series = strcat(	field('series'),' - (',    field('publisher'),  	')/[',	field('series_index'),	'] - '

So, where and how should I place this code, please?


Oh and BTW, it is possible to use

series_index:0>3s

instead of series_index into this same code you wrote for me?

Thanks a lot for your help once again!

[brainvision]

sorry double post


EDIT:

ok now I got it.. I create a new custom column and used the code you passed me (the error I did was to not write also the program: part); now files without series are saved just fine, but the one with series are saved into the root directory of the main path I selected from device configuration window; Calibre doesn't seem to use the Series - Publisher / part, so it does not create directories.-.

[eschwartz]

Ah, sorry, yes -- the "program:" bit tells the template parser to treat it as a General Program Mode template.

See the template documentation for the gory details: http://manual.calibre-ebook.com/temp...l-program-mode


The template works for me. Where are you saving it?
There are a couple different places to save it. You can save it in
Preferences ==> Sending books to devices
Preferences ==> Saving books to disk
Device dropdown ==> Configure this device

#3 allows you to change how it is saved from the general default in #1
#2 is what you want for saving to disk of course.


I assume the full path that you want is showing in the custom column, yes?
I usually paste it directly into the Preferences -- you can test it with the Template Editor button.

[eschwartz]

Format the series_index, uses the finish_formatting command to duplicate the effects of {field:0>3s|prefix|suffix}

program:

prefix_if_series = strcat(
	field('series'),
	' - (',
	field('publisher'),
	')/[',
	finish_formatting(
		field('series_index'),
		'0>3s', '', ''
	),
	'] - '

);

final = strcat(
	test(
		field('series'),
		prefix_if_series,
		''
	),
	field('title'),
	' - ',
	field('authors')
);